The gang from the NYPD crime lab is back! To say they went out last season with a bang is an understatement. As they sat in a bar in memoriam to Det. Angell (Emanuelle Vaugier), somebody opened fire. Who fired was undetermined, but the whole place got nailed ("Pay Up").
The premiere opens with clips from last season's finale, just to make sure everyone is on the same page. Were people hurt in the shooting? The bartender gets killed and others are injured. I think they need medical attention, but only for things like scrapes, cuts, and bruises. Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) is the most seriously hurt of the crime lab team present, since he lost feeling in his legs. It could be temporary, but Mac (Gary Sinise) now has a case to solve with a field investigator out of commission. At least Danny can work in the lab.
Giovinazzo pulls out the stops as his character attempts to deal with his new situation. For someone who works well on the streets, paralysis is a major blow. Danny knows his chances are dicey, and he's angry someone has the gall to do him harm. For her part, Anna Belknap has a huge job to do as Lindsay, a colleague who is now also Danny's wife. Life is hard enough with a new baby, but a cranky husband increases the tension. Watching her attempt to give Danny a well-deserved kick in the butt falls a little flat. Still, we're reminded that hope is not entirely out of reach.
The gang copes with the after-effects of the attack in different ways. Flack (Eddie Cahill), still grieving over Angell since they were dating when she got killed, hangs out at a bar to be among people. He later tells Mac it's better for him to be on the job, which is probably accurate. The chemistry between Sinise and Cahill is solid, and the concern versus determination talk is a touching moment.
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1 - NancyGail
Glad you enjoyed it.